Recently, the Nourish dietitians took a trip down the street to Mend Acupuncture in Remington. We were greeted warmly by Jaime and Katie who showed us around the studio and provided us with some happy hour snacks (the real way to a dietitian’s heart). We sauntered back to the ultra-relaxing community room-a cozy nook with plush recliner chairs which immediately relinquished any first timer jitters.
We were introduced to our acupuncturist Nikki Hatch, L.Ac. who met with us individually to explain the process and what to expect. She explained that you will feel a sensation (not pain) when the pins are inserted and that some points are spicier than others. She chose the location of the pins (I had them inserted into my ankles, wrists, ear, arms and a few along my shoulder to help with my neck pain). We relaxed for about 30 minutes until the pins were taken out. The whole process was not only painless, but very calming
What we learned about acupuncture:
- It’s a form of alternative medicine that has been around for thousands of years and is only more recently being heavily researched. There are many scientific theories to support how and why acupuncture works. Read more here.
- There are over 400 acupuncture points located throughout the body
- Acupuncture needles are as thick as two hairs (learning this helped us feel more at ease!)
- Most people feel the benefits after several sessions-its not a one-and-done kind of treatment
How acupuncture can complement your nutrition goals:
- Balanced hormones, such as your digestive hormones Grehlin and Leptin- that signal hunger and fullness
- Decreased anxiety and stress for improved digestion (more on that later)
- Increased awareness of body and mind which can lead to more mindful eating habits
Why try acupuncture?
The World Health Organization released a report which endorses the use of acupuncture for over 200 symptoms and diseases and the US National Institutes of Health issued a consensus statement proposing acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention for complementary medicine. Some of these include:
- Women’s reproductive health: fertility, PCOS, menopause
- Digestive health: irritable bowel, inflammatory bowel, GERD
- Side effects of chemotherapy
- Chronic neck and back pain
- Headache and migraine
- Arthritis
Ready to give it a try?
Mend offers acupuncture for all: the community sessions are only $25 and is open 7 days a week! And new clients receive a 20% discount off their first session. For private 1:1 sessions, there is a good chance that your health insurance offers coverage for acupuncture. They are more than happy to help you find a treatment option that works for you.
Visit Mend Acupuncture online to learn more about their amazing practice and to schedule your appointment.
